''Becoming Jane Austen'' is an imagined biography of Jane Austen by the Austen scholar
Jon Hunter Spence
Jon Hunter Spence (July 30, 1945 – June 20, 2011) was an American Jane Austen scholar. His 2003 biography, '' Becoming Jane Austen'', was adapted into a feature film starring Anne Hathaway in 2007.
Education
Spence received a BA in English lit ...
. It chronicles a demi-biographical version of Austen's early life based on Spence's interpretation of the novel ''
Pride and Prejudice
''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...
'' as inspired and modeled on Austen's real life, although Austen herself does not make this claim for her novel.
''Becoming Jane Austen'' was published in hardcover by
Hambledon Continuum
Continuum International Publishing Group was an academic publisher of books with editorial offices in London and New York City. It was purchased by Nova Capital Management in 2005. In July 2011, it was taken over by Bloomsbury Publishing. , all ...
in 2003. It chronicles the early life of
Jane Austen
Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...
, the encounters and the developing relationship between Austen and
Tom Lefroy, based on letters sent by Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra. The book served as the basis for the film ''
Becoming Jane'', which was released in January 2007 (Sydney). Jon Spence was a historical consultant for the film.
A review of the book by the Jane Austen Society of North America states that, "Jon Spence’s ''Becoming Jane Austen'' is one of the best half-dozen books published on Austen in the last quarter century, at least. It is a remarkably learned book written in a remarkably lucid style and a joy to read. The research is so substantial, wide-ranging, and detailed that any conjecture Spence builds on it has the feel of bedrock itself. His interpretation of Jane Austen’s character and personality as well as of her fiction impresses the reader with his long and intimate acquaintance with the writer and her works."
A paperback edition of the book was published by Continuum on 14 June 2007
The Austen-Lefroy relationship was also used as the basis for ''Jane and Tom: The Real Pride and Prejudice'', a radio play by Elizabeth Lewis. It was first broadcast on 1 June 2007, starring
Jasmine Hyde as Austen and
Andrew Scott as Lefroy, along with
Penny Downie as Mrs Austen, Jane Whittenshaw as Mrs Lefroy, Rachel Atkins as Anne Lefroy, Lynne Seamore as
,
Keiron Self
Keiron Gareth Self (born 1971 in Newport, Wales) is a British actor and writer best known for playing Roger Bailey, Jr. in the BBC sitcom ''My Family''. His other acting credits include ''Casualty'', ''Lucky Bag'' and playing PC Claude Cox in t ...
as John Warren, and Manon Edwards as Ellen, and directed by Celia De Wolff.
References
2003 non-fiction books
Books about writers
Books adapted into films
Works about Jane Austen
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